'It's another game we shouldn't have lost' says Ange after eighth home league loss of the season

Clock running down on a miserable league season : Picture by @JTSport

Tottenham Hotspur 1 Nottingham Forest 2

His time in north London was apparently so forgettable that Tottenham Hotspur failed to acknowledge in the match programme ‘pen pic’ that Nuno Espirito Santo was returning to his former club – but the Nottingham Forest boss emerged with a vital three points. Actions speaking louder than the lack of the printed word.

The Portuguese is eyeing up Champions League football with the Tricky Trees next season. Yet speaking of another manager, the jeers which rang out at the end of this 2-1 defeat – and not for the first time – would not have gone unheard by Ange Postecoglou, disappointed once again.

The Tottenham manager witnessed an eighth home league defeat as his underwhelming team sit 16th in the table. Fortunately for Spurs. the bottom three clubs – Southampton, Leicester City and Ipswich Town – have been so lacking in quality and durability, with relegation from the Premier League a foregone conclusion for weeks now, that Postecoglou has been spared the spectre of ultimate embarrassment.

Not even a Europa League semi final spot, against Norwegians Bodo/Glimt, feels like the enticing consolation it should be for Tottenham’s long suffering – and now very impatient – fans.

A Richarlison header with three minutes remaining was all Spurs had to show for their all too lumpen efforts, in a second half where Forest, two goals up from early on, via Elliot Anderson and Chris Wood were content to soak up what was thrown at them.

Postecoglou’s insistence that apart from cheap concessions for Forest’s goals, that his side was “outstanding” has, frankly, a hollow ring to it.

A couple of good chances in the second half, denied by Forest’s determination aside, Tottenham rarely looked like taking anything from a game, embarked upon by a much-changed team.

“It’s another game we’ve lost that we shouldn’t lose,” lamented Postecoglou afterwards. “We’re giving away poor goals and it’s a shame as we were outstanding. But it’s another loss and an unacceptable loss.

“We had to make changes to the team but our football was so good. The fans are angry, there are too many losses, we know that. We need to accept responsibility for the shortcomings. But this is another game we should have won.

The club’s Premier League endeavours are rather muted now. Safe from the drop zone and all energies being channelled into their forthcoming Europa League semi final.

With players such as Dominic Solanke, Brennan Johnson, Yves Bissouma and James Maddison benched, Spurs faced a Forest side determined to grab a key victory to strengthen their quest for a Champions League spot next term.

The north Londoners have been guilty in conceding a significant number of early goals in games, which has contributed to such a stalled and unremarkable campaign.

In fact the sum total of Tottenham’s threat resulted in Mathys Tel hurriedly blasting the ball over the crossbar when in an inviting position. It took the hosts 39 minutes to do so, which rather spoke volumes, and Spurs had a vulnerability about them when Forest set about their customary counter-attacks.

Forest’s admirable vigilance continued into the second half as Spurs built up, to an extent, a head of steam. And the visitors had Harry Toffolo to thank for an acrobatic goal line clearnace from Dejan Kulusevski’s header mid way through the second half.

Postecoglou’s double substitute decision, sending on Solanke and Johnson was welcomed by the majority of the 59,314 crowd.

And Solnake found Matz Sels in fine form, the Forest keeper scooping the striker’s header away as time began to get the better of Tottenham. Postecoglou was, understandably, the picture of frustration. So much possession in the second half.

There may not have been too much active, genuine scoring threat from the north Londoners for all their industry – but Richarlison guiding home a header provided some very late hope.

Then again, this is Tottenham we’re talking about. Time ran out on them, with fans now eyeing up the big Europa meeting with Bodo/Glimt. The hope as usual, the ever-present thief of their jaded ambitions.

Postecoglou added: “We gave away two poor goals. It’s not like we lost because the players chucked it in. It’s not a lack of motivation but we paid the price for lacking focus and concentration in key moments.

Espirito Santo, meanwhile, was understandably relieved at the outcome.“The final moments were full of anxiety,” said the Forest boss.

“Tottenham put us against the ropes. We are very proud of the way we competed today. Tottenham had chances – we wished we were more positive in the second half, but we help each other in every situation.

“We have to realise we are in a fight nobody expected. We have a big desire to compete and we are in a mix (for Champions League qualification) with big teams. We are going to Wembley against a big team so we are looking forward to it."